The future of Seoul will be created in line with a new paradigm of smart technology

The Seoul Metropolitan Government formally announced its IT blueprint aptly called the “Smart Seoul 2015”, which details the South Korean capital’s vision for informatisation for the next five years.
The Smart Seoul 2015 incorporates IT services into government administration, citizen health and welfare, and industry and living. Seoul citizens will be able to use free wireless internet at public facilities across the city, including public offices and community centres, from as early as 2015.
Mayor Oh Se-hoon said, “The miracle of IT, which has developed alarmingly fast over the past twenty or more years, will be upgraded once more through Smart Seoul,” adding, “Seoul City will continue to maintain its stature as the World’s Best IT City, and as a Convenient State-of-the-art City where IT streams into every aspect of citizens’ daily life.”
According to an official statement, the plan is a pre-emptive, and proactive measure to brace the city for informatisation in preparation for 2015, when more than 80 per cent of the city’s population is expected to use smart devices, including smartphones and tablet PCs, as well as the wireless Internet, and when over 30 per cent of citizens are likely to be using smart TVs.
In a recent interview, Dr. Jong Sung Hwang, CIO of Seoul told FutureGov that the future of Seoul will be created in line with a new paradigm of smart technology. He further added that the 2015 vision will be based on a technology centered four-point agenda:
1) A city making the most of smart technologies by extending the use of smart phones, CCTV, smart TV, and WiFi. 2) A city making an outstanding use of smart technologies by applying real-time intelligent data and pre-emptive public services.
3) A city with a future-oriented smart urban living system which will address issues of safety, disaster, welfare, transportation, and other civil affairs.
4) A city with a smart economy and culture with focus on IT services, smart business, information security, and global contents.